Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-07
THE WAR CaAPLAINs.
Their Reunion Mt Ocean drove
DOCTORS Jones and Dickinson.

Their Reunion Mt ocean drove
Doctors Jones and Dickinson.
AT the eighth annual reunion OF the
war cbaplains, missionaries, and Chris.
tian commission workers, North and
South. held on Thursday evening last
at Ocean Grove, New Jersey. in the
absence OF Hon. George Il. Stewart,
the president, Vice-Presldent j. Will
liam Jones, ID. D., presided. General
c.. B. Fisk, of New Jersey, made the
opening speech. He said "f you
wish to see how the South has pros
pcred since the war look at our pre-
siding officer. At the close OF the war
he was very thin, but how fat he is to-
night, and how well he illustrates how
well fed the South is" The General
then gave a vivid picture OF his expe-
riences in trying to capture Richmond,
and paid a glowing tribute to the gal
lantry of Confederate soldiers.
General Fisk was followed by Bishop
Samuel Fellows, of the Reformed Epls-
copal Church of Wisconsin. The Bishop
commanded a regiment duringt the war
a regiment composed of students and
professors gathered from the colleges
of his State. He closed with express
ing his delight at seeing the South
represented here, and distinguished
southcrDcr presiding over the meeting.
The closing speech was made by Rev.
4. l.. Dickinson, ID. d., of Rich
mord. He began by saying that
the North ought to be interested in
the South, il for no other reason, be-
cause of what it had spent on the
South-the treasure and blood poured
forth to keep it in the Union. After
this mighty outlay you ought to rejoice
at every indication that the South is
getting upon its feet. Every Christian
and every patriot in the North should
rejoice to see the South grow and pros
per. If We are to have one common
country, the happier any section of it
can be the better for every other Sec
ton. We have learned q good deal
about each other of late years but there
is n good deal more to learn. DO you
know even yet here in the North what
a grand religious work was done during
the war in Confederate Campo and hos
pltals? Is it not news to you when |
tell You that not less than ten thousand
Confederate soldiers were converted in
the great reviyals which swept over
camp and hospital during those four
years of bloody strife a? L myself was
superintendent of an organization
which supported over one hundred
army missionaries and colporters, and
/ tell you the truth when | say that
many Of the most useful Christian min
listers and Church laymen in the South
to-day were converted when they were
Confederate soldiers. A book has re-
Gently been published {" Christ in the
Camp" by Or. Jones which is filed
with facts which will amaze you
and yet that book is true. The writer
has recorded just what dill occur.
Now, that the passions and preiudices
eneendered by the war are subsiding
and will soon be forever forgotten,
these other facts-the true history of
what God and the Holy Spirit did
during the WARFARE coming to the
front, and they will tower up, like
mighty Alpine peaks, to be gazed upon
with delight as the glorious possession
of Gods people of all sections and of
all the world. You men OF the North
can afford to give tho South full credit
for the religious work which was done
in the Confederate army, and to rejoice
in it as you are doing here tonight.
And You can afford to do another
thipg-you can afford to accord to us a
fair and candid judgment as to what
has followed since the war closed.
Men have gone South and have passed
through it almost as rapidly
as n telegram can fly over the electric
wires, and yet they have undertaken to
explain through the public press the
true state Of affairs III the South. IN
many cases all the information they
secured was obtained from some crank
or sorehead. The presiding officer here
tonight can tell you the truth about
the South, and the southern people are
willing for him or for any oae else who
knows the facts in the premises to tes-
thy. All We ask OF You is LAR dealing.
The day before L left Richmond,
continued DR.. Dickinson, | had q
pleasant interview with Bishop Whit
tie, the present Episcopal Bishop OF
Virginia. In that interview he spoke
of having recently confirmed 225
colored people as members of the
Episcopal Church, and of having
ordained several colored preachers, and
of the thousands of dollars the Episco-
palians of Virginia are spending in
cyangelizing the colored people of the
State. Other denominations are NOV
ing in the same direction, and in every
way in our power We are trying to Lake
that South land the brightest and hap
piest upon which the sun shines.
AT the close of the speaking the choir
sang "Blest be the tie that binds, and
there was a general handshaking.